SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein binding to multiple host receptors enables cell entry and infection

Trbojević-Akmačić, Irena; Petrović, Tea; Lauc, Gordan

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection displays a wide array of clinical manifestations. Although some risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and outcomes have been identified the underlying biologic mechanisms are still not well understood. The surface SARS-CoV-2 proteins are heavily glycosylated enabling host cell interaction and viral entry. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been identified to be the main host cell receptor enabling SARS-CoV-2 cell entry after interaction with its S glycoprotein. However, recent studies report SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein interaction with other cell receptors, mainly C-type lectins which recognize specific glycan epitopes facilitating SARS-CoV-2 entry to susceptible cells. Here, we are summarizing the main findings on SARS-CoV-2 interactions with ACE2 and other cell membrane surface receptors and soluble lectins involved in the viral cell entry modulating its infectivity and potentially playing a role in subsequent clinical manifestations of COVID-19. [Image: see text]